“It is not true that we only have one life to live, if we can read, we can live as many lives and as many kinds of lives as we wish.” -S.I Hayakawa
I found this quote today while I was stumbling through blogs and I think it’s quite intriguing. As someone who becomes emotionally involved in books I can relate to almost believing the story is apart of my life.
For instance, last year on my way home from Spain my flight was canceled and I was relegated to waiting in the Madrid airport for many extra hours, sitting at the Milan train station for many extra hours, and finally training back to Zurich for several extra hours. In short (though it didn’t feel it at the time), I was able to blaze through the book One Day by David Nicholls (Adam, best Christmas present in all the land). By the book’s end I was so wrapped up in the lives of Emma and Dexter that I couldn’t remember if they were legitimate friends or not.
Image courtesy of hodder.co.uk
How does such a significant and seemingly meaningful connection between character and reader happen? In this particular instance I was traveling home alone and had no one to communicate with other than the characters in my book. It was either try to communicate in rusty Spanish with fellow commuters, stare into space and be overwhelmed by the frustration of “sick pilots,” or read my book. Therefore the book became my constant companion for one day (oooo, pun intended) and I was able to finish it in that short span of time. Another factor for such a speedy read: the book was incredibly well written. This past summer I was privy to a book reading and interview with the author in Zurich (another tipp topp super surprise) and even Nicholls remarked that some days he couldn’t believe he actually wrote this book. I wouldn’t call this book a literary gem, one that will change the way we write for the rest of time. But I also wouldn’t say it was written only for entertainment and to be a part of Oprah’s Book Club (oh, I hope she hasn’t gotten her hands on it yet!). This book deviates from typical, predictable romantic comedy, boy-meets-girl, and closely examines the possibility of a solely platonic male-female friendship.
I suppose what it was that made this book, and so many others, so consuming for me was the ability to insert my life into the story line. What would it be like to have a friend like Dexter? How would my life end up if I were to find myself in a similar situation with a friend? Perhaps I have a much wilder imagination than previously supposed and I let it carry me away.
I think Hayakawa’s quote is spot-on, though. If we allow ourselves to establish relationships with the characters in our books we can live vicariously through them. Expanding our imagination and allowing it freedom just might be the best thing we can do as readers.
A Broad At Home 